Article date – 13 June 2018

Past and present students from St Helens Council’s Tuition Service have come in for high praise after launching a music video centred on raising awareness of mental health.

 

Based in The Beacon Building in College Street, Tuition Service helps pupils with complex and medical needs return to mainstream provision.

The video – a recreation of Godley and Crème’s 1985 hit ‘Cry’ – has been created as part of a wider emotionally healthy schools project alongside St Helens Public Health and NHS St Helens Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) – and features students who have overcome their own challenges with mental health.

As a way of showing their support to the project, a number of familiar faces across the borough including Saints legend Paul Wellens; local poet and mental health activist Lynn Gerrard; Mike Lindley (aka Ralph’s Life); and councillors including former Mayor, Joe Pearson and his wife Sylvia; Deputy Council Leader Andy Bowden; Jeanie Bell and Jeanette Banks- also star in the black and white video which is sung emotively by former Tuition Service student, Olivia Parr.

Praising pupils for their work, Rob Vaughan, Teacher in Charge at the Beacon said: “The students have worked so hard to make this video. They themselves have experienced mental health challenges so to be part of the video was a huge achievement for them and I’m very proud.

“I would also like to thank everybody else who has been involved in the video which is about celebrating the good work we do here at the Beacon to support young people who have struggled in mainstream education to thrive.

“We want to share the message that it’s okay to show and share your feelings, emotions and struggles and we would love everybody in St Helens to share this far and wide.”

St Helens Council’s Cabinet Member for Developing Young People, Councillor Joe Pearson – who during his mayoral year last year raised awareness and money for mental health charity St Helens Mind – added:

“It was a great honour to be a part of a project to raise awareness of a subject that affects so many people across the country and around the world.

“With mental health a subject close to my heart, I’d like to congratulate the students for the work they have done in getting the message of mental health awareness across in a powerfully creative way which will hopefully encourage more people to come forward to talk about any problems they may have.”

The video was launched at the St Helens Thriving Schools Learning event at the end of May and has already been included in several other activities such as an art exhibition and poetry display with Lynn Gerrard.

To view the video, visit: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GYpbvhSMjH4&t=5s

A wide range of services are available in St Helens for anyone wanting to talk about their mental health and wellbeing.

For more information, visit: https://www.sthelens.gov.uk/public-health-and-wellbeing/staying-well/mental-health-and-wellbeing/

 

 

Photo caption 1: The former Mayor and Mayoress of St Helens were among those to visit the Beacon Building to support Tuition Service students as they made their music video.

Photo caption 2: Former Mayor of St Helens Joe Pearson, now Cabinet Member for Developing Young People, took part in filming.

Photo caption 3: Saints legend Paul Wellens lends his vocal support. 

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